It’s been just over a year since High Court judge Joan Charles ruled that a group of 270 former special reserve police officers (SRPs) should be compensated for salary differences outstanding since they were absorbed into the Police Service.
The affected officers comprise of two groups: 191 SRPs and 79 police drivers.
Charles’ ruling meant that, in total, the officers should have received their share of the $10 million allocation, set aside for them in a Cabinet note after their absorption. But, the officers tell News 19 TT, they still have not been paid.
Last year, some months after the ruling, the group threatened to bring contempt of court proceedings against the then-newly appointed Police Commissioner, Allister Guevarro.
That threat did not materalise and the officers say they are yet to have an audience with Guevarro.
News 19 TT spoke to several of the officers, who are now retired. They asked to remain anonymous.
One said the financial strain of being underpaid continues.
“You have your family to support and you cannot reach your bills when the month come, so you have to be juggling bills, certain bills get left back, it’s just tough,” he said.
He said before his retirement, he felt depressed and despondent about going to work every day.
“Knowing that you have money to get and you’re working for the organisation that have to give you the money, it is mentally challenging. Sometimes you wake up in the morning and you telling yourself, you not feeling to go to work because you feeling down.
“The judge now say to give you the money, they still ent give you the money, a year and a month passed, you still have to go to work, you asking yourself if it making sense, it’s frustrating.”
He said retirement adds another layer of frustration, as he no longer has the same access to Police Service departments as he used to.
“I gone home already and it have the ones getting ready to go home and you know when you go, you wouldn’t have the access to be in their faces all the time or moving as free in the admin building as if you were serving still and still when you’re serving, you have to be respectful because you can’t be insubordinate.”
Another retired officer said the pending payout has caused him and many of his colleagues mental stress.
“You can’t function properly as a family man, as an officer, because we are human beings, we have our own problems, so we looking to get this money to settle some of our bills, meet day-to-day expenses, make sure our family have what is needed to go through day-to-day life and we can’t have it,” he said.
He said he’s left questioning whether the Police Service’s leadership does not believe he and his fellow officers deserve the arrears.
“Because if it was the seniors, they would have gotten their money…but why we have to fight so hard for it? If the court made the order, why not pay it? The money was already allocated, give us what is due to us and that is all we are asking for.”
He said for those who retired from the group of affected officers, retirement is not proving easy as they have to find ways to support their families before they receive their pensions.
“Men have to work taxi, remember you were a police officer, you dealing with the public, you charging the public and now you have to come down and work taxi among the same people you charging and that is not fair to us.
“At least if we get that money, we can live not a big lavish life but we can live comfortable knowing that our families are taken care of, our bills are taken care of, and we can live with the pension that we are getting and live comfortable, that’s all that we are asking for.”
News 19 TT has sent questions to the Police Commissioner and Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander, who is a former police officer.
In Part Two- Justice delayed: SRPs still waiting for $$$, we’ll tell you what they have to say about this ongoing issue and what the affected officers are warning will happen if their pleas continue to be ignored.
What the Cabinet note said:
According to the Cabinet note, the 179 SRPs were being paid a salary of $2,861, with a $175 personnel allowance, bringing their basic salary to $3036 a month. They were also paid a cost of living allowance (COLA) of $60 and a meal allowance of $375.
The drivers’ were being paid a basic salary of $3061, $60 COLA and a $375 meal allowance.
The Cabinet note said those salaries were reflective of 1999-2001 rates and instructed that their salaries be increased- in the case of the SRPs a basic salary of $4306 and a $125 COLA. The drivers’ salary was to be increased to $4573 and a $125 COLA. The meal allowance remained the same for both groups.
The Cabinet note said $10,983,600, was being allocated to pay arrears to the group and bring their salaries in line with their colleagues.